ROAD COMPACTING APPARATUS

APPAREIL DE COMPACTAGE DE ROUTE

English Abstract

In general, apparatuses or machines for compacting
the shoulders of roads include a plurality of wheels in side by
side relationship, which are merely rolled over the gravel
shoulder of a road. Such machines rely on the weight of the
wheels to effect compacting. An apparatus for effecting more
efficient compacting includes a frame for connection to a
towing vehicle, a fixed arm extending rearwardly from the
frame, a pivot arm pivotally connected to the fixed arm for
limited rotation around an axis perpendicular to the direction
of travel of the apparatus, crossbars pivotally connected to
the pivot arm for limited rotation around an axis parallel to
the direction of travel of the apparatus, a plurality of
vertical arms connected to the crossbars and extending
downwardly therefrom for pivotally supporting axles for
rotation around axles perpendicular to the direction of travel,
and a wheel mounted on the outer end of each axle, whereby the
wheels are caused to wobble as they are drawn over a gravel
shoulder to effect efficient compacting of the gravel.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A road compacting apparatus comprising main frame means
for connection to a towing vehicle in spaced apart relationship
thereto; bifurcated, fixed arm means extending horizontally
rearwardly from said frame means for movement therewith; pivot arm
means pivotally mounted in said fixed arm means for limited
rotation around an axis between the ends of the pivot arm means
and perpendicular to the direction of travel of the apparatus
during normal use; crossbar means pivotally connected to each end
of said pivot arm means for limited rotation around parallel to
the direction of travel of the apparatus; a plurality of separate
spaced apart, vertical wheel arm means extending downwardly from
each said crossbar means; axle means pivotally connected to the
bottom end of each said wheel arm means for limited rotation
around an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel of the
apparatus; and wheel means mounted on said axle means, whereby
because of pivoting of said pivot arm means, said crossbar means
and said axle means, said wheel means are caused to wobble
longitudinally and transversely of the apparatus for compacting a
road.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, including track means
on said main frame extending transversely of the direction of
travel of the apparatus during use; carriage means slidable on

said track means for movement in a direction perpendicular to said
direction of travel, said carriage means carrying said fixed arm
means, whereby said fixed arm means and said wheel means can be
moved transversely of the frame means for compacting the shoulder
of a road.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, including fluid
actuated cylinder means mounted on said main frame means; and
piston rod means extending out of said cylinder means connected to
said carriage means for moving the carriage means transversely of
the apparatus.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, including bracket
means on the bottom end of each said wheel arm means pivotally
supporting said axle means for limited rotation in the bracket
means.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, including first
sleeve means rotatably mounted in said bracket means for rotation
around an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel of the
apparatus; plate means connected to said first sleeve means and
extending downwardly therefrom; and second sleeve means suspended
from and perpendicular to said first sleeve means for receiving
said axle means.

Description

20952~9
This invention relates to a roadworking apparatus,
and in particular to an apparatus for compacting gravel
roads and the shoulders thereof.
It is know to use a plurality of pneumatic tires in
side-by-side relationship for compacting road shoulders.
Examples of machines for effecting compacting in this
manner are disclosed by, for example U.S. Patent Nos.
3,146,686, which issued to W.E. Grace et al on September
1, 1964; 3,291,013, which issued to L.J. Stolp on
December 13, 1966 and 3,993,413, which issued to R.N.
Cox et al on November 26, 1976.
While the machines disclosed by these patents are
more or less effective, a problem common to machines of
the patented type is that of wheel motion, i.e.
insufficient vibratory motion is imparted to the wheels
to effect efficient compacting. It has been found that
wobbling of the wheels improves the compacting action of
the machine.
The object of the present invention is to solve the
above identified problem by providing a relatively
simple compacting apparatus, the wheels of which are
free to oscillate or vibrate both longitudinally and
transversely of the direction of travel of the
apparatus.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a road
~'
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20~5259
compacting apparatus comprising main frame means for
connection to a towing vehicle; fixed arm means
extending rearwardly from said frame means for movement
therewith; pivot arm means pivotally connected to said
fixed arm means for limited rotation around an axis
perpendicular to the direction of travel of the
apparatus during normal use; crossbar means pivotally
connected to said pivot arm means for limited rotation
around an axis parallel to the direction of travel of
the apparatus; vertical wheel arm means extending
downwardly from said crossbar means; axle means
pivotally connected to the bottom end of said wheel arm
means for limited, rotation around an axis perpendicular
to the direction of travel of the apparatus; and wheel
means mounted on xaid axle means, whereby because of
rotation of said pivot arm mean, said crossbar means and
said axle means, said wheel means are caused to wobble
longitudinally and transversely of the apparatus for
compacting a road.
The invention will be described in greater detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings, which
illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and
wherein:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a road compacting
apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

20gS2 j9
Figure 2 is a rear end view of the apparatus of Fig.
l;
Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus of Figs.
and 2;
Figure 4 is a cross section taken generally along
line IV-IV of Fig. 3;
Figure 5 is a cross section taken generally along
line V-V of Fig. 2 with parts omitted; and
Figure 6 is a cross section taken generally along
line VI-VI of Fig. 3 with parts omitted.
It will be noted that Fig. 6 is also a side view of
Fig. 5 with parts added.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the apparatus of the
present invention, which is in the form of a trailer for
towing being a grader (not shown) includes a main frame
generally indicated at 1 ~Fig. 4) with a pair of towbars
2 extending forwardly therefrom. As best shown in Fig.
4, the frame 1 is defined by a pair of end plates 3 and
5 interconnected by tubular metal crossbars 6, 7 and 8.
The crossbar 6 is square, and the crossbars 7 and 8 are
circular in cross section. Reinforcing plates 10 are
provided between the ends of the crossbar 6 and the end
plates 3 and 5. The plates 10 are connected to the end
plates 3 and 5 by bolts 11 (Figs. 3 and 4).
Each towbar 2 includes a bottom plate 12 welded to
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2095259
the crossbar 6 on each side of the center thereof, and a
pair of generally triangular plates 14 connected to the
outer end of the plate 12 defining a clevis for
pivotally supporting the bottom arm 15 of a support
plate 16. The plates 16 are fixedly connected to the
towing vehicle, usually a grader (not shown) by bolts
17. A pair of hydraulic cylinders 18 ~one shown - Fig.
3) are pivotally mounted on a top arm 19 of the plate
16. The free ends of the piston rods 20 extending out
of the cylinders 17 are pivotally connected to the
bottom plates 12. Thus, the cylinder 17 can be actuated
to raise or lower the apparatus, i.e. to move the
apparatus between the transport position shown in
phantom outline and the use position shown in solid
lines in Fig. 3.
Referring to Fig. 4 to the two cylindrical crossbars
7 and 8 act as tracks for a carriage generally indicated
at 22. The carriage 22 includes a pair of spaced apart
tubes 23 and 24 slidably mounted on the crossbars 7 and
8. The tubes 23 and 24 are interconnected at one end by
a vertical bar 26 and by carriage end plates 27 in the
form of I-beams. A back plate 29 (Figs. 2 and 3) is
welded to the plates 27 and a top plate 30 extends from
the front end of the plates 27 rearwardly beyond the
back plate 29. The carriage 22 is moved along the
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20952~9
tracks defined by the crossbars 7 and 8 by a hydraulic
cylinder 32 pivotally connected to a bar 33 extending
vertically between the crossbars 7 and 8 by a clevis 35.
A piston rod 36 extending out of the cylinder 32 is
connected to the vertical bar 26 at the end of the
carriage 22 furthest from the bar 33 by a clevis 37. By
extending the piston rod 36, the carriage 22 can be
caused to slide transversely of the apparatus.
As best shown in Fig. 1 the trailing end of the top
plate 30 is tapered and bifurcated, including a slot 39
for receiving the front end of a longitudinally
extending beam 40. A pair of parallel, spaced apart
beams 42 are connected to a back plate 29 and to the
bottom of the plate 30. The beams 42 extend rearwardly
to define the remainder of the slot 39. The beam 40 is
pivotally mounted on a bolt 43 extending between the
beams 42 for rotation in the slot 39 around an axis
transverse to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.
An inverted U-shaped bracket 44 is connected to the
bottom of the beam 40 at each of the front and rear ends
thereof. Reinforcement in the form of a front plate 46
and gussets 47 are provided between the beam 40 and the
brackets 44. Transversely extending beams 49 and 50 are
pivotally mounted in the brackets 44 using bolts 51 and
nuts 52, so that the beams can pivot around horizontal
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20952S9
axiæ parallel to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.
A plurality of spaced apart pairs of plates 53 extend
downwardly from the beams 49 and 50 for fixedly
supporting rectangular cross section legs 54.
A generally C-shaped bracket 55 is welded to the
bottom end of each leg 54. The bracket 55, which opens
downwardly, has open sides 57 which open towards the
sides of the apparatus. A sleeve 58 extends between the
arms 59 of the bracket 55, and a pin 61 extends through
the sleeve 58 can be rotated on the pin 61. A
cylindrical axle housing 66 is connected to the sleeve
61 for rotation therewith by a hexagonal plate 67 and
generally rectangular gussets 69. Rotation of the plate
67 is limited by the fact that the plate strikes the top
of the bracket 55 at each end of its arc of travel. An
axle 70 is mounted in the housing 66. The axle 70 is
retained in the housing 66 and prevented from rotating
by a bolt 71 extending through the housing into the
axle. Hubs 72 are rotatably mounted on the ends of the
axle 70 by means of roller bearings 73. Each hub 72
carries a wheel 75.
In operation, by actuating the cylinder 18, the
frame 1 can be rotated around the axis of the outer end
of the arm 2 of the towbars to lower the wheels 75 from
the elevated, transport position shown in phantom

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outline to the ground engaging position shown in solid
outline in Fig. 3. Simultaneously, the cylinder 32 can
be actuated to move the carriage 22 transversely of the
frame 1 so that the wheels 75 are positioned over the
shoulder to be worked.
Once the wheels 75 have been lowered into contact
with a gravel road, with the grader moving forwardly,
the wheel 75 wobbles along the road. The cylinder 18 is
actuated to push the wheels downwardly under a high
pressure, in this case 1250 psi. This force plus the
weight of the apparatus ~approximately 2500 pounds) and
the wobbling action effect more or less even compacting
of a freshly graded road surface.
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Representative Drawing